Dr Steve Willis, Senior Lecturer in Archaeology in the Department of Classical & Archaeological Studies, has won funding from the Roman Research Trust to support specialist reporting on late Roman pottery excavated in North-East Lincolnshire. The excavations included a training project for Kent students, in conjunction with the North East Lincolnshire Archaeology and Local History Society.
Pottery is typically the main find on sites of the Roman era and its detailed study is vital for dating site occupation and phases and for understanding culture and activity at sites.
Steve explained: ‘The really interesting aspect of this site is that it sees a growth in activity which becomes intense in the very late Roman period. This is remarkable as at this time it had been thought the eastern coastal region (where the site lies) was abandoned due to raiding from across the North Sea and maybe Scotland.
‘The site was a collection and processing centre for agricultural produce: horses and grain and seemingly brewing. This generated wealth judging from the jewellery finds. The pottery is very distinctive and regionally specific and continues into the Anglo-Saxon era. It will provide information on everyday life as Britain moved towards what was traditionally seen as the ‘Dark Ages’ following the eclipse of the Roman era. It will provide information on everyday life as Britain moved towards what was traditionally seen as the ‘Dark Ages’ following the eclipse of the Roman era.’
The Roman Research Trust (RRT) is a charitable trust that offers financial support to research and education in the field of Romano-British Archaeology. For more details of the trust, please see its website here: http://rrt.classics.ox.ac.uk/index.html